“A Rose for Emily,” by William Faulkner, is a story about a reclusive woman from the upper class with a secret. The story takes place recently after the Civil War. “A Rose for Emily” is told in non-chronological order using flashbacks. Faulkner causes the reader to form a more sympathetic and understanding perception by telling the story in non-chronological order with flashes of the present, of Homer’s past, and of Emily’s past. At the beginning of “A Rose for Emily,” the reader is introduced to the present day events. The reader also becomes more familiar with the character of Emily through flashbacks throughout the story. Emily was a woman of high stature who, unfortunately, was not married. Through flashbacks, the reader learns that Emily did have many suitors as a young woman, but her father ran them off because he felt they were not good enough for her. Through these events, Emily formed an unhealthy dependency on her father. When he passed away, she kept his body for several days, until the town took him away to bury him. By using these flashbacks of Emily’s past, Faulkner causes the reader …show more content…
Homer is a man who is seemingly courting Emily, but mysteriously disappears. After her father’s death, Emily is alone, until she meets Homer. At one point in the story, the townspeople believe that Emily and Homer are going to be married. They suspect that he has left town to prepare for his marriage and that he will soon be back for Emily, but Homer never returns. Through flashbacks, we learn that Homer was not “the marrying kind,” and he was likely gay as he “enjoyed the company of younger men.” These flashbacks about Homer make the reader more sympathetic towards Emily as well. The reader knows that Emily is extremely dependent and in love with Homer. Homer will never love her back, however, so Emily thinks the only way to keep her love is to poison